Chinese Braised Chicken with Chestnuts

Traditionally, the chicken pieces are cut into bite-size pieces; however, if you prefer to leave them whole, extend the cooking time.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken parts (I used chicken thighs on the bone)

• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce, divided

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2-3 scallions, cut into 2 inch lengths

• 5 slices ginger, the size of quarters, peeled

• 1 cup fresh chestnuts (or defrosted frozen ones)

• 8 shitake mushrooms, rehydrated in water (reserve soaking liquid), stems removed, halved

• 1/4 cup dry sherry

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 star anise

• 1 cup shitake mushroom soaking liquids

Directions

• Chop chicken parts into small pieces if you like (1 1/2″ pieces). Marinate chicken with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

• Heat oil in a large pan and add scallions and ginger; saute a few minutes until fragrant. Place chicken pieces in a pan in a single layer. Brown on one side, then turn over all the pieces and brown the other side. Add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, honey, star anise, rehydrated shitake mushrooms, and shitake mushroom soaking liquid. Mix sauce and chicken well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, covered. Add chestnuts and toss gently. Cover and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until chicken is tender

Acorn Squash with Chestnuts, Apples, and Leeks

From Food & Wine

• ACTIVE: 45 MIN

• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 10 MIN

• SERVINGS: 8

Ingredients

• 4 acorn squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 cups diced celery

• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme

• 10 ounces day-old rustic rye bread—crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 6 cups)

• 7 ounces vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

• 1/3 cup vegetable stock or low-sodium broth

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on two baking sheets and roast for about 25 minutes, until just tender.

• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the celery, leeks, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the apples and thyme and cook over moderately high heat until the apples just start to soften about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Add the bread, chestnuts, parsley, cream, and stock and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

• Turn the squash cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

Cauliflower, Red Onion, and Chestnut

From MarthaStewart.com

A blue cheese bechamel makes this tart deliciously rich, so you need only a small piece. It’s a good starter or side dish for a holiday meal, but it works just as well for lunch or a light dinner with a green salad.prep: 30 mins total time: 3 hours 35 mins servings: 8 

For the Tart

• 1 rectangle Hazelnut Pastry Dough

• All-purpose flour, for surface

For The Filling

• 4 ounces red pearl onions

• 1 small head cauliflower, separated into florets

• Coarse salt

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

For The Bechamel  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• Coarse salt

• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped chestnuts

Directions 

Step 1

Make the tart: Roll out pastry dough to a 6-by-16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 4-by-13-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges flush with the top. Prick the bottom of the tart all over with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line crust with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is set and edges are just starting to turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and remove pie weights and parchment. Bake until the bottom of the tart shell is pale gold, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook onions for 2 minutes. Transfer to ice-water bath. Drain. Peel onions, and cut each in half. Meanwhile, steam cauliflower in a basket inserts set over a pan of simmering water until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Let cool.

Step 4

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring, until browned, about 12 minutes.

Step 5

Make the bechamel: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking, until mixture is thick and just starts to boil. Add 1/4 cup blue cheese, the thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt, and whisk until cheese melts. Stir in cauliflower, half the onions, and half the chestnuts.

Step 6

Spread cauliflower mixture onto the tart shell. Scatter remaining onions and chestnuts over filling, and dot top with remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese. Bake tart on a baking sheet until filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Root Vegetable Pan Roast with Chestnut and Apple

From Food & Wine

• ACTIVE: 25 MIN

• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 10 MIN

• SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or canned low-sodium broth

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

• 2 medium red onions, each cut into 8 wedges through the core

• 1 cup vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (6 ounces)

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 2 medium beets, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

• 2 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and cut into eighths

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, combine the cider vinegar, chicken stock, butter, and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, in a large shallow roasting pan, toss the sweet potatoes, onions, and chestnuts with olive oil and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Tuck the beets among the other vegetables and roast for 20 minutes. Gently turn the vegetables, add the apples, and roast for 20 minutes longer, or until all of the vegetables and the apples are tender and lightly browned. Add the sauce and toss gently. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Sausage Chestnut and Fennel Dressing

From Simply Recipes

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz.) focaccia stuffing

• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 2 yellow onions, diced

• 4 celery stalks, diced

• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 2 cups prepared French chestnuts, roughly
  chopped

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1 1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed

• 6 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 3 to 3 1/4 cups chicken stock, warmed, plus
  more as needed

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 3 1/2- to the 4-quart casserole dish.

Put the focaccia stuffing in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, fennel, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing. Add the parsley to the bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups of the stock. The dressing should be moist but not soggy. Add more stock if needed and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Vegan Chestnut Mushroom Stuffing

From One Green Planet

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf whole wheat bread, cubed and dried (about 10 cups)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 medium-large yellow onions, diced

• 4 medium stalks celery, chopped

• 1 small fennel bulb, diced

• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced (mix of cremini, shiitake and oytster)

• 1 1/2 cups chestnuts (roasted from 1 lb. fresh, or use jarred chestnuts), crumbled

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

• 3 tablespoons fresh sage

• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (vegans, use a substitute such as ground flax seed mixed with water)

• 1½ to 2 cups vegetable broth

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, fennel, and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat and add the bread, chestnuts, herbs, olive oil, and eggs. Mix well, then add broth until the stuffing is quite moist but not overly soggy. Add salt and pepper if you’d like.

• Place in an oiled casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer, until stuffing is crusty on top.

Chestnut Bacon and Cranberry Stuffing Balls

From BBC Good Food

Easy, makes 24 stuffing balls Prep:30 mins – 40 mins Cook:40 mins Plus 1 hour to soak the cranberries

Ingredients

• 100g dried cranberries

• 50ml ruby port

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 rashers unsmoked back bacon, cut into strips

• 50g butter

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 450g sausage meat

• 140g fresh white or brown breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 140g peeled, cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour. Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter, until the onion is tender and the bacon is cooked. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
2. Cool slightly, then mix with all the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough egg to bind – I find it easiest to use my hands. Fry a knob of stuffing in a little butter, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
3. To Cook: This stuffing can be baked in a dish, or rolled into balls that will be crisp on the outside and moist inside. To bake, press the stuffing into a greased ovenproof dish in a layer that is around 4cm thick. Bake at 190C/gas 5/fan 170C for about 40 minutes, until browned and, in the case of sausage meat stuffing, cooked right through. Alternatively, roll into balls that are about 4cm in diameter. Roast the stuffing balls in hot fat (they can be tucked around the turkey or done in a roasting tin of their own) for 30-40 minutes, until crisp and nicely browned on the outside

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts

From Country Living

Serves: 12 Yields: 12 servings Total Time: 35 min Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil

• 6 slice(s) bacon, coarsely chopped

• 2 pound(s) Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise

• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

• 1 1/2 pound(s) fresh chestnuts, roasted and peeled; or 3½ cups store-bought roasted chestnuts

• 2 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter

Directions

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

• Add Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and cook, tossing frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add salt and 1 cup water; cover and simmer until sprouts are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

• Add chestnuts and cook, uncovered until sprouts are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and swirl in butter until creamy. Toss reserved bacon over top